6/29/2011 CYPRUS LANDSCAPE POLICY 1 2 source: Müller and Liebe, Cyprus (Verlag C. J. Bucher GmbH, München, 1986) 1
3 Even if individual buildings might be decent the overall picture is chaotic The building is neither beautiful nor ugly, but the cut in the hill is tragic! 4 2
LANDSCAPE PLANNING: IDENTIFIED THREATS The prevalence of urban sprawl, encouraged to a large extent by existing planning provisions for isolated homes Increasing demand for intensive holiday home and similar developments, especially in sensitive landscapes Land consolidation and other rural development policies unintentionally favour scattered development and destroy historic field patterns and landscape elements Over-dependence of the economy on seaside tourism puts intense pressures on the sensitive coastal zone Inadequate development of landscape management tools to effectively address problem situations The forced division of Cyprus is a major obstacle to integrated landscape planning over the entire island 5 LANDSCAPE THREATS Site preparation for bottling plant Abandoned quarry New subdiv ision on hilltop Lowering plot to street lev el 6 3
LANDSCAPE THREATS Creating access Isolated home BEFORE Roadside billboards New rural road AFTER 7 PLANNING TOOLS TO OVERCOME IDENTIFIED THREATS Its impossible to abolish the popular isolated home policy without stakeholder consent; however, it should be ensured that this policy is applied only to fulfil the needs it is designed for, through area-specific guidelines Such guidelines should also cover development in sensitive landscapes, including holiday homes etc. Land consolidation and other rural development policies should consider landscape character assessment results before, during and after implementation Landscape management and planning tools and measures, including land use designation, development guidelines and landscape rehabilitation priority projects, should be developed with public participation through the relevant provisions introduced into the planning process 8 4
NEW OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH LANDSCAPE POLICY Introduction of landscape management concepts for sustainable development and quality of life Consolidation of development tendencies and containment of urban sprawl Formulation of an integrated national policy on alternative forms of tourism Provision of measures and incentives for sensible rural development Establishment of mechanisms for the coordination of infrastructure and public works impacts on landscapes Creation of a detailed inter-sectoral landscape database Promotion of the idea of the Mediterranean basin as a unifying landscape 9 INTEGRATION OF LANDSCAPE CONCEPTS INTO PLANNING POLICY 10 5
THE POLICY STATEMENT FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE (PSC) Existing island-wide network of about 100 outstanding landscape features, for example: Madari peak, Maroullena gorge, Atokremmos cliff 11 THE POLICY STATEMENT FOR THE COUNTRYSIDE (PSC) Existing list of 150 rural settlements with special social, architectural, or historic character like: Inia, Paphos District; Khoulou, Paphos District 12 6
13 LIMASSOL LOCAL PLAN (LLP) The LLP is the only statutory document including an integrated policy for the protection and enhancement of the environment in the wider Limassol urban area Identification of environmental problems from a landscape-compatible, spatial planning point of view Definition of objectives with strong social considerations Classification of environmental parameters into broad categories of policy guidelines for Planning Authorities Nature and biodiversity (horizontal policy considerations) Parks and recreation (5 types of areas plus 4 regional parks) State land management (general guidelines) Protected landscapes (specific policy around two reservoirs) Significant land features (incl. streams, ridges, escarpments etc.) Specific policy on siting and environmental integration 14 7
LIMASSOL LOCAL PLAN: ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS MAP 14 MONUMENTS AND SITES 2 COTROLLED ANTIQUITY AREAS 9 HISTORIC URBAN CORE AREAS 3 REHABILITATION AREAS 11 CHURCHES 2 SPECIAL LANDMARKS SEAFRONT/ SHORLINE, RIVER COURSE SEVERAL SEASONAL STREAMS 3 MAN-MADE LAKES (RESERVOIRS) 1 RIVER ESCARPMENT FORMATION 1 CYPRESS WINDBREAK SYSTEM 15 7 NATURAL OR PLANTED WOODS LIMASSOL LOCAL PLAN: PERIURBAN LAND USE MAP Irrigated land, intensive cultivation Arable land, extensive cultivation Carob trees, scattered dry farming High maquis vegetation Low garigue vegetation Cleared/ unproductive land Seasonal marshland Archaeological sites 16 8
17 LEVKARA LOCAL PLAN: A LANDSCAPE POLICY Introduction of an environment and landscape policy with specific objectives, policy and measures (LCA) However, the scope of this policy is limited due to lack of a documented Landscape Character Assessment 18 9
19 LANDSCAPE POLICY PARAMETERS The spatial plans of Cyprus (Local Plans and PSC) already include a variety of landscape-sensitive provisions, even where this is not expressly stated These include landscape protection areas as well as siting and environmental integration guidelines What they lack is a general landscape character assessment framework with a strong scientific basis Such background is necessary for the appropriate documentation and transparency of landscape policy This will allow the planning process stakeholders to: Customise and specialise existing construction guidelines Move, beyond protection, into landscape-based land use allocation (landscape management) and landscape-sensitive project specification (landscape planning) 20 10
21 BASIC ELC REQUIREMENTS Recognition of the concept of landscape by law Formulation and implementation of a policy for landscape protection, management and planning Through current spatial plan review process Definition of a participatory process to implement this Through new public participation procedures Incorporation of landscape parameters in all national cultural, environmental, agricultural, social, economic and other relevant policies Partly through spatial dimension of each policy Partly directly, by each competent authority 22 11
OUTLINE COURSE OF ACTION THE NEXT STEPS Identification of all landscapes Assessment of all identified landscapes Definition of quality objectives for all assessed landscapes Introduction of tools for the protection, management and planning of landscapes, on the basis of their defined quality objectives 23 MINISTRY OF THE INTERIOR DEPARTMENT OF TOWN PLANNING AND HOUSING PLATRES, NOVEMBER 2008 24 12